A high alert was sounded in the entire Himachal Pradesh on Sunday after several Khalistan flags were found tied on the main gate of the state Legislative Assembly on Sunday, while slogans were scrawled on the walls of the complex in Dharamshala, police said. All inter-state borders have been sealed, and police are strictly monitoring the area. Apart from this, orders have also been released to patrol at night.
Special Security Units and Bomb Disposal Squads have been instructed to be on high alert. Pro-Khalistan organization Sikhs for Justice has announced to conduct a referendum 20-20 voting on June 6, the anniversary of Operation Blue Star.
Condemning the incident, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said the culprits will be caught soon.
"I condemn the cowardly incident of raising Khalistan flags at the gate of Dharamshala Assembly Complex in the dark of night. Only the winter session of the assembly is held there, and hence require tighter security arrangements during that time only," he tweeted.
The flags, which were removed by the administration, were put up on the outer side of gate number one of the assembly complex, police said.
“It might have happened in the late night or early morning today. We have removed the Khalistani flags from the Vidhan Sabha gate. We are investigating and going to register a case,” Kangra Superintendent of Police Khushal Sharma said.
Taking to Twitter, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that the putting up of the Khalistan flags outside the gate of the Himachal assembly building in Dharamshala was a “complete” failure of the BJP government in dealing with the matter pertaining to national security and keeping the respect of the people of the hill state.
Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh also condemned the incident and sought strict action against those involved in it. He claimed that "fringe elements" were trying to disturb peace and brotherhood in the country by such acts.
(With agency inputs)
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